Features May 2015 Issue

An ICD is a battery-powered device implanted just under the skin. Thin wires connect the ICD to the heart.

Age Alone Not a Barrier to Receive an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator

Research finds that patients of all ages experience improved survival rates after getting an ICD. But other health concerns may determine your eligibility for the device.

An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) can be a life-saving device for people whose hearts sometimes beat in an unhealthy rhythm. But because ICDs must be surgically implanted in the chest or abdomen, and because they emit electrical shocks to the heart to restore a healthy rhythm, there are often concerns among patients and physicians that ICDs arenít appropriate for older patients.

To continue reading this article you must be a paid subscriber.

Subscribe to Heart Advisor

Get the next year of HEART ADVISOR for just $20. That's a savings of $19 off the regular rate.

With your paid subscription you will receive unlimited access to all of our online content. That is over a decade of previous issues from Cleveland Clinic, the hospital rated #1 in cardiac care by U.S. News & World Report - free of charge.